Fountain-pen.



No. 651,736. Patented lune4 I2, |900.

P. E. WIRT.

FOUNTAIN PEN.

(Application filed Dec. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Emmi Mrz UNITED STATES:-

APirri-:rrr OFFICE.

PAUL E. VIRT, OF BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOUNTAIN-PEN.

SPECIFICATION fol-ming part of Letters Patent No. 651,736, dated June12, 1900. AAppnmiml filed December 5,1899. serial No. 739,298. (Nomodern VT0 all whom it may concern:

To this end the pen-reservoirr holder having a maximum ink-` holding orreservoir capacity' to avoid constant refilling, while at the same timehaving suitable provision for positively preventing flooding or droppingof the ink from the penpoint, which is very likely to occur whereinkreservoirs are employed beyond a certain limited size or capacity infountain-pens.

Heretofore in the construction of ,fountainpens it has `onlybeen,possible to constructthe holders or barrels with a sQmewhat-limitedink-holding or reservoircapacity'on account of the well-known fact thatfluids are not so well retained within tubes or like spaces byatmospheric pressure in large chambers as in smaller chambers which areclosed at one end; but the present invention obviates this difficultythat has been met with by fountain-pen manufacturers by providing theholder or barrel with well-defined "separate interior ink-reservoirs inaddition to the duct leading to the pen, 'said reservoirs respectivelyholding the main supply of ink. and a predetermined supply for,servic e.

It isof the greatest advantage to Vhave af large supply of ink in alarge 'reservoir in fountain-pens, inasmuch as the constant`fill' timenot necessitating an undue or unwieldy enlargement of the reservoirholder or barrel.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in connection with themain supply and service reservoirs of the holder, suitable means forpermitting of the convenient reinvention primarily 4contemplates anovell construction of fountain-V plenishing of the supply of ink in theservicereservoir from the main supply-reservoir `when this isnecessary,while at the same time providing for totally cuttingoifcommunication between the two reservoirs when the pen is'in use andas long as there is a suiicient quantity of ink in the service-reservoirfor supplying the pen. In carrying out this object the inventionprovides means for positively preventing flooding or dropping of inkfrom the pen, while at the saine time admitting of the use of a mainsupply-reservoir of as large proportions as the marketable sizes of Ithepen will permit.

Other objects and advantages will readily suggest themselves to thoseskilled in the art as the nature of the invention is better understood;and the same consists in the novel combination and relation of partshereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

, The essential feature of the invention, involving the provision of theholder with a main supply-reservoir and a service-reservoir in theform'rof atube apart from the ink-duct leading to the pen, incombination with suitable means for totally 'cutting'off or opening upcommunication between said reservoirs, is necessarily susceptible toembodiment in a variety of modifications-without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention; but the' preferred embodiment of theimprovement is shown in the accompanying d rawings, in which- Figure lis a general perspective view showing the `position"4 of the preferred fform of holder in the hand, illustrating one of the useful features of4the annular enlargement or swelled portion constituting a part of themain supply-reservoir in the preferred form of the holder. Fig. 2 isalongitudinal sectional view of the preferred form of the invention,showing in Vfull lines the movable supplemental service-reservoir seatedso as to constitute a cut-olf between the two reservoirs andillustrating in dotted lines the position of said reservoir in thestraight `bore of the holder, at the outer end thereof, :to facilitatefilling of the service reservoir. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a`modification involving the movable supplemental service-reservoir andshowing the use thereof in connection with a holder havinga detachablenozzle or pen bearing section and aplain IOO Io sociated with the formof joint or closure shown in Fig. 2 ofthe'drawings. Fig. 5 is a detailcross-sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is la detail inperspective of the modified form of movable supplemental reservoir shownin Figs.'4 and 5.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

The present invention contemplates ,as the essential feature thereof theprovision of the holder or barrelof a fountain-pen with separateinterior main-supply and service inkreservoirs in addition to the usualink-duct leading to the penand combined with suitable means for totallycutting off'communication Atherebetween when the service-reservoir issupplied with ink for the pen or opening up communication between thetwo reservoirs when the service-reservoir is depleted and it is desiredto refill the same from the main supply in the other reservoir. Thiscombination may be embodied in a variety of con. structions withoutdeparting from the invention; but the preferred form of the inventioninvolving the im proveme'nts is plainly shown in Figs. l and 2 of thedrawings. In this` construction the pen holder or barrelis designated bythe numeral 1, and the same is of thev usual cylindrical form incross-section,

` bntisr preferablyprovided at a point intermediate the ends thereofwith an annular enlargement or swelled portion 2, which produces aninterior main supply-reservoir 3 of a maximum capacity and designed tocontain a large supply of ink which is held in reserve for use inreplenishing the service-reservoir, to be presently referred to. Theintermediate annular enlargement or swelled portion 2 of the form ofholder shown in Fig. 2of the drawin, .,ffs not only provides an inte-Vrior` main supply-reservoir of maximum capacity, but also possessesseveral other advantages which are quite important in fountain-penlstructures.

Although, as will hereinafter appear, the invention is thoroughlypractical in connection with a holder straight throughout its length,still in order to provide for the two necessary reservoirs the straightholder may. have to be made thicker than desired by some users.l Soit'hasl been found advantageous to utilize the intermediate annularenlargement or swelled portion 2 not only to provide the large mainsupply-reservoir, but also to reduce the bulky appearance of the penandto enable the user to clasp and hold it in writin g more comfortablybetween thethumb and fingers. In short, the construction describedprovides for a maximum supply of inkwith the least bulk at the claspingor holding point, and inasmuch as the enlarged or swelled portion comesabove the point where the holder is held and is therefore out of the waythe main ink-supply is located well above the heatl from the fingers,and therefore reduces the possibility of the expansionof the fiuid pastthe joints. The position of the pen lin the hand with the swelledportion disposed abovethe clasping-point of the fingers is plainly shownin Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In the preferred form of. holder just described, as shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings, the same may be provided at one end thereof with anysuitable form of pen-.bearing section 4, carrying the pen 5 and feeder6; but it is not important to the successful carrying out of theinvention what type of pen and feeder is employed, nor the specialarrangement ofl these parts, it only being desirable that there beassociated with the holder having the duplex ordouble reservoirs afeeder or feeding device providing for delivering ink to the pen bycapillary attraction. However, it is one of the essential features ofthe invention to provide the :holder or barrel with two ink-reservoirsentirely separate or apart from the duct leading to the pen, and in thepreferred formof the improvement there is provided in addition to themain supply-reservoir 3 a supplemental service-reservoir 7. Thissupplemental service-reservoir 7 is made as large as possible and isordinarily of about as great capacity as the average-sized chamber orspace within the ordinary sizes of fountain-pens now on the market. Thesaid supplemental service-reservoir 7 may be provided in different ways,butin theconstruction now being described is preferably in the form of atube open at one end and closed at the V other to provide a completechamber or space for the reception of the ink to be supplied directly tothe pen, while at the same time constituting a cut-off to close or openup communication between the two reservoirs at will. The open end of thetubular supplemental Areservoir 7 is disposed toward the pen-bearingsection ofthe holder and is adapted to register wil hin an interiorannular shouldered seat 8, formed within the holder at what may beproperly termedv the lower extremity7 of the main supply-reservoir 3.The tubular supplement-al reservoir 7 is longitudinally movable withinthe holder, and whenthe ope-n end thereof is seated against the seat 8communication is entirely cut off between the interior of the saidreservoir 7 and the main supply-reservoir 3, so that Vonlythat portionof theink within the service-reservoir 7 will be supplied to the pen. Asthe service-supply of ink is no greater than that ordinarily placedwithin the usual fountain-penholders, there is nopossibility of floodingor dropping of ink from the pen on account of overweight of ink in thereservoir supplying the pen.

IOO

ixo

ISO

To provide for replenishin g or refilling the movable supplementalreservoir 7, it is necessary to make provision for moving this reservoiraway from its seat 8 to open up communication between the tworeservoirs. The ex-V pedient preferably employed for accomplishing thisresult is a sliding operating-stem 9, suitably connected at its innerend, as at 10, with the closed end of the tubular reservoir 7 and havingthe outer end portion thereof sliding through an opening in aclosure-head 1l at the outer end of the holder 1. In the constructionshown in Fig. 2 the extreme outer end of theholder1,beyond the head 11thereof, is provided with an interiorly-threaded socket 12, adapted toreceive therein a suitable cork or liber packing 13 and also engaged bythe exteriorly-threaded portion 141E of the fingerknob 15. Thisfinger-knob 15is shown in Fig. 2 as having a slidable connection 16 withthe outer extremity of the operating-stem 9 for the combined reservoirand cut-oft 7, said sliding connection preferably consisting of a pinand slot which permit of the relative sliding movement of the parts andalso of a rotary movementin unison. The said fingerknob 15 is providedwith a central bore 17 to receive the outer extremity of the stem 9 andalso accommodates therein a tensionspring 18, which relieves the tensionor strain on the stem 9, so as to permit the knob 15 and also thecombined reservoir and cut-oit 7 to settle tightly in their seats. Byunscrewin g the finger-knob 15 outl of the interiorly-threaded socket 12the stem 9 will be drawn outward through the outer closed end ot theholder l, thereby carrying the combined service-reservoir and cut-off 7out of the sea-t 8 and into the straight bore of the holder at .theopposite side of the intermediate enlargement or swelled portion 2, asplainly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In this latter position the inkis entirely displaced from the straight bore of the penholder at theouter end thereof and is compelled to run through into the uncoveredopen end of the movable service-reservoir 7. When the movableservice-reservoir has thus been reiilled, the stem 9 is moved inwardlyto carry the open end of said service-reservoir into the seat 8, afterwhich the threaded portion of the finger-knob is screwed into the socket12, thereby providing for securing the service-reservoir in its closedposition, and thus effectually cutting off communication between the tworeservoirs until the servicereservoir is again depleted.

The usual cap 19 may be associated with the construct-ion justdescribed, said cap being reversible, like the ordinary cap, so as to befitted over the pen-bearing section when the pen is not in use and uponthe outer end of the penholder when the pen is in use, as plainly shownin Fig. 2 of the drawings. The tubular combined service-reservoir andcutoff 7 need not necessarily, though preferably so, be combined with aholder having an intermediate annular enlargement or swelled portion, asit is-only necessary in all cases' that the combined reservoir andcut-oif 7- be of less width or diameter than the main por- 7o tion ofthe holder, so that when it is drawn away from its seat the open endthereof will be uncovered, so as to receive a fresh supply of ink fromthe main supply-reservoir 3 of the holder. It will therefore be obviousthat such a modification as :illustrated in Fig. 3

of the drawings may be resorted to. In this modification the holder 1 isshown as being straight throughout, so as to have the appearance of anordinary fountain-penholder, and 8o provided at one end with adetachable nozzle 20, which necessarily constitutes a part of the holderand is counterbored to form the interior annular seat S for the saidcombined reservoir and cut-off, this seat cooperating with the saidreservoir and cut-oif in the manner already explained in connection withthe construction shown in Fig. 2. The modification illustrated in Fig. 3also shows that the invention may be carried out in connec- 9o tion witha plain sliding joint for the stem at the outer closed end of the holderor barrel, said joint simply consisting of the closinghead 11, providedwith a central guide-opening 21 to slidably receive the stem 9, the lat-95 ter being provided at its outer extremity with a plain finger-knob 15to facilitate the adjustment of the interior tubular combinedv reservoirand cut-off 7.

In one form of the invention the open end 'roo of the combined reservoirand cut-ott 7 when closed onto the interior seat 8 is in completecommunication with the adJoinlng ink-duct leading to the pen Without anymeans for controlling the delivery ofink from the said reservoir 7. Itis, however, within the purview of the invention to provide a suitablevalve arrangement for controlling the discharge of ink from theservice-reservoir 7 into the adjoining ink-duct at the lower end of thepenno holder. While different expedient-s may be resorted to foraccomplishing this end, a simple construction for said purpose is shownin Figs. 4, 5, and 6, which construction involves providing thepenholder within the plane of the interior seat 8 with aninwardly-projecting iiat valve-shoulder 22, extending partly across theink duct or passage and adapted to have seated directly thereagainst oneend of the supplemental service-reservoir 7. To 12o complete the valvearrangement, the supplemental service-reservoir 7 is provided at theopen end thereof with a head 23, partly closing the said open end of thereservoir and cooperating with the Iiat valve-shoulder 22 when 12 5 thereservoir is turned to provide for varying the size of the-openingthrough which the ink may pass from the reservoir 7 into the inkduct. Byturning the reservoir 7 sufficiently to bring the opening at the lowerend thereof 13o directly opposite the valveshoulder 22, so as to becovered thereby, the delivery of ink to the ink-duct may be completelycut oft'. It will thus be seen that the valve arrangement als describedmakes provision for placing the delivery of ink to the ink-ducte'ntirelyfunder the control of the operator, thereby affordingprotection against the ink. leaking from the case when it isldesired tocarry the same in anyy position whatever.

Any form of joint or closure for the outer closed end of theholder orbarrel may be associated with the construction shownin Fig.

4, preferably the form of joint or closure` shown inFig. 2 of thedrawings.

Other modifications may be`resorted to andi will be readily apparent tothoseskilled inl the art; but those set forth herein plainly illustratethe essential feature of the invention, and it will be understood thatvarious means whereby its interior is adapted to corn-y municate withthe ink-duct, and also with the main reservoir, said tube receiving itsindependent supply of inkfrom the said main reservoir, substantially asset forth.

2. In a fountain-pen, thepenholder provided withiamain supply-reservoir,a supplemental lservice-reservoir inl the form of a` dependent of theink-duct leading to the pen, and means for 'opening and closingcommunication betweenthe said two reservoirs, substantially asdescribed. In a fountain-pen, the penholder provrueu witn a mamsuppiy-reservolr, a su pple-` mental service-reservoir in the form, of atube having an open and a closed end, said'open cate with the mainsupply-reservoir and alsoj with the-ink-duct, and means for opening andclosing the communication between the said Vtwo reservoirs,substantially as described.- Y `4'. In afountain-pen, the penholderpro'- vided with a main supply-reservoir, a supple'- mentalservice-reservoir in the form of a tube arranged wholly within the mainreservoir and movable therein,said tube having an open end adaptedto'communicate with the main reservoir and also with the ink-duct, and

means for opening and closing communication between the two reservoirs,substantially as described.

5. In a fountain-pen, the penholder provided with a-mainsupply-reservoir and an in'V terior seat,andatubularsupplemental-combined, service-reservoir and cut-off locatedwholly within'the holder-and coperatin g with said seat, substantiallyas described.

6. Inv a fountain-pen, the penholder provided with a mainsupply-reservoir, and an in- ;terior seat, and a combined supplementalserv- `ice-reservoir and kcut-off movablefwithin the lmain'supply-reservoir and arranged wholly therein, said combinedservice-reservoir and cut-off being in the form of a tube open at one.end and adapted to have the open end thereof ymoved onto and away fromsaid seat,` substanitially as set forth. v

7. In 'a' fountain-pen, the penholder prol:vided with an interior mainsupply-reservoir, .and with an interior seat at the ilower exf tremityofsaid main supply-reservoir, a tubu- `lar supplementalservice-reservoir movable within the main reservoir, and open at one end:for communication with the main reservoir l.and also with vtheink-duct, said service-reservoir being located wholly within thepenholder, andmeans for carryingthe open end of saidl tubularsupplemental reservoir onto and away from the interior seat,substantially Las set forth.

8. In a fountain-pen, the holder provided 'with an interior mainsupply-reservoir, and at .thelower extremity of said reservoir with anannular seat', said holder being further pro- Ividedwith an intermediateannular enlarge- '.ment or swelled portion, and a tubular supplementalservice-reservoir open at one end and longitudinally movable'within theholder, said su pplementalservice reservoir being adapted to have theopen end thereof work onto and awayfrom the said seat,and also movableinto the straight bore of the holder, at the .side ofthe enlargementorswelled portion op- I posite-the seat, substantially as set forth. tubearranged wholly inside of the holder in# 9. In a fountain-pen, thepenholder proservoir with a valve-shoulder extending partly across theink-duct, and a separate rotatable and longitudinally-movable tubularsupplemental servlce reservoir provided at one end with a partialclosure'working on the said valve-shoulder, substantially as set forth.end of the tube being adapted to communi-A i v 10. In a fountain-pen,the penholder providedwithan interior main supply-reservoir, and attheclosedv end thereof with a socket to receive packing, a cut-off forclosing the outlet of ink from the main supply-reservoir,

said cut-offhaving a stem sliding through the .closed outer end of theholder, a finger-knob having a slidable connection with the outer my ownIhave hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PAUL VE. W'IRT.l

Witnesses:

GEO. S. ROBBINS, C; C. PEACooK.

IIS

